Green Lentil Salad
Ingredients (Dressing)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander (optional)
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
- Black pepper, to taste
Ingredients
- 250 g green lentils (Puy or regular, uncooked; ~1 cup)
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 small cucumber, diced
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
- Jerry tomatos
- 50–80 g feta cheese, crumbled (optional, skip for vegan)
- Small bunch fresh parsley, chopped (about ½ cup packed)
- Small handful fresh mint, chopped (optional)
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil (for tossing after cooking lentils)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Cook Lentils: Rinse lentils well. Add to a pot with plenty of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until just tender but not mushy, about 18–25 minutes depending on the type. Drain very well.
- Season Warm Lentils: While still warm, toss lentils with 1–2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let them cool to room temperature (spreads flavours better).
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, vinegar/lemon, Dijon, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
- Prep Veg: Dice red onion, cucumber, and bell pepper. Halve the cherry tomatoes if using. Chop parsley (and mint, if using).
- Combine Salad: In a large bowl, add cooled lentils, onion, cucumber, pepper, tomatoes, parsley, and mint. Pour over the dressing and toss gently until everything is coated.
- Add Feta: Crumble feta over the top and fold it in gently so it doesn’t completely disappear.
- Adjust & Rest: Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and acidity (more vinegar/lemon if needed). Let the salad rest at least 15–20 minutes before serving so flavours meld.
- Leftovers: Keeps 3–4 days in the fridge. For best leftovers, you can add tomatoes and feta fresh each day and keep the base lentil salad stored separately.